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which
way
to
god?
a
christian
look
at
world
religions
HINDUISM
Hindu Glossary
atman: The soul or essence
within people that’s identical to the essence of the
u n i v e r s a l p o w e r, t h e
source of everything.
Brahman: (BRA-men) The
one eternal being of
Hinduism. Also known as
the One, the ultimate
reality, the world soul.
The self-existing power
which is the source of
everything.
What Is
Hinduism?
• If you live in North
America, you share the
continent with about 1.1
million Hindus. If you
live in a large city,
chances are it has a Hindu
community with its own
temple and traditions.
But most of the world’s
Hindus live in southern
Asia, especially India, the
land where Hinduism
began (see map). All told,
there are about 900 million Hindus. That makes
it the world’s third largest
religion (after Christianity
and Islam).
• Hinduism has no one
founder such as Christ or
Mohammed or Buddha,
no central authority like a
pope or ayatollah, no single Scripture like the
Torah or Koran or the
Bible, no defining creed
or statement of faith like
the Apostles’ Creed.
karma: The effects of our
actions in this life and in
previous lives. All actions
have effects, good and
bad. A person’s actions
determine his or her
future in this life and in
the lives to come.
ONE OF SOME 780 MILLION
HINDUS WHO LIVE IN
INDIA, THIS WOMAN
WEARS THE RED DOT
OR TALIK AS A SIGN OF
HER DEVOTION.
• The word “Hindu” was
created by early travelers to the Indian subcontinent to describe
the people who lived
near the Indus River.
The sacred writers of
this religion speak of
themselves as followers
of the sacred law or
dharma
(DAHR-muh)
and call their religion
the Sanatan dharma,
Map by Paul Stoub
THE SPREAD OF HINDUISM
PAKISTAN
2.1 million
INDIA
780 million
NEPAL
19 million
BANGLADESH
12 million
SRI LANKA
2.8 million
© 1998, 2008, Faith Alive Christian Resources, Grand Rapids, Michigan. All rights reserved.
ISBN 978-1-59255-427-0
MALAYSIA
1.4 million
Figures from www.adherents.com
INDONESIA
4 million
CONTENTS
What Is Hinduism? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Salt and Water . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
Hindu Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
The Wheel of Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Three Paths to Moksha . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
Hinduism and Christianity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
A Ladder for Society . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
One God or Many? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
A Hindu Teen at Worship . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6
Yoga, Anyone? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Aids to Holiness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
Cook’s Corner and Game . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Facts in a Flash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
which means “the eternal religion.”
• Hinduism is one of the
oldest continuing religions in the world today.
Its history reaches back to
3000 B.C., a thousand
years before the call of
Abraham, to the mixing
of the people of the Indus
Valley with tribes of
Aryans who arrived from
the west. Together they
created a religion that
emphasizes the oneness
of a universal truth that
is present everywhere
and binds all things that
live together. They created a rich oral tradition of
hymns called Vedas (VAYdes), which were written
down in Sanskrit thousands of years later. By
600 B.C. informal spiritual
schools led by teachers, or
gurus, were common;
their teachings were
recorded in the Upanishads
(oo-PAH-nih-shahd).
• By 300 B.C. Hinduism
took a different turn with
the rise of personal worship or devotion to a particular god or goddess in
the Hindu array of deities.
This new interest in individual gods and goddesses led to the sacred writings called the Ramayana
(ra-MA-yeh-neh)
and
Mahabharata (ma-BA-rehteh), which are epic
poems about gods coming to earth to defeat evil.
Law codes that set out the
proper social order for
Hindu culture were also
established.
• In 1200 A.D. the Muslims
arrived in India, followed
by Christian Europeans in
1700. Hinduism changed
little from interacting
with these other faiths
and remained the dominant religion of India.
• Hinduism has survived for
so long partly because it
has changed as it met new
ideas and challenges. It has
welcomed new ways of
expressing devotion, and it
allows all followers of dharma to find their own way
to the oneness of the universe.
moksha: (MOK-sha) Liberation, release, salvation,
enlightenment.
Final
freedom from the cycle of
birth, death, and rebirth.
The soul achieving moksha does not have to be
reborn,
but
rejoins
Brahman for eternal bliss.
samsara: (sem-SA-reh) The
Hindu wheel of life. The
cycle of a soul’s birth and
rebirth through different
lifetimes in different bodies. The transmigration of
souls or reincarnation.
yoga: A discipline of the
mind and body through
which one obtains union
with Brahman.
Salt and Water
“What is Brahman?” a son once asked his father.
The father told the boy to bring him a bowl of water and
the family’s container of salt. The boy ran to get the items
and returned to his father with them. “Put the salt into the
water and come back tomorrow,” the father said.
The next morning, the boy was up early looking for his
father to learn the answer to his question. “Take out the
salt,” the father commanded his son.
“I can’t. It’s disappeared,” he answered.
“Taste the water from the top of the bowl,” he instructed.
The boy did so. It was salty.
“Taste the water from the middle of the bowl,” he was
told.
The boy did so. It too was salty.
“Taste the water from the bottom of the bowl.”
The boy did so. It was as salty as the rest of the water
had been.
“Brahman is like the salt in the water. It is invisible, but
everywhere.”
More About Brahman
• Brahman is the absolute and ultimate reality that exists
beyond the appearance of our everyday lives.
• Brahman has no form and is everywhere: in people,
plants, and animals.
• Brahman is a universal being but is not a person; rather,
it is the source of all existence.
• The Brahman that exists in each human being is called
atman. The essence of one’s self, or soul, is the same eternal spirit that lives in each living thing and is the life
force of the universe. The essence of each living being is
the same as the essence of the universe.
The Wheel of Life
SuperStock
Hindus believe that just as the world follows a cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction, the human soul is
caught in a never-ending wheel of life. Birth, death, and
rebirth are the eternal motion of the atman. When a baby is
born, it is inhabited by the atman or preexisting soul.
Whether this new life will be a step up or down depends on
the karma the soul had attached to itself in its previous cycle.
Karma depends on the actions we take in life for good or
evil. Good karma will result in rebirth into a better physical existence in the next life; bad karma will result in the
opposite. So what we do determines the condition of our
next life. This idea of birth and rebirth is often called reincarnation, but the more correct term is “the transmigration
of the soul.”
This endless cycle of samsara is not a pleasurable merrygo-round. The atman in each of us yearns to leave physical
existence behind and become one with the Brahman. This
release or moksha is the ultimate goal of every Hindu.
Never to be born again, but to achieve total oneness with
the Brahman in an eternal state of perfect knowledge and
total peace is the ultimate goal of humanity.
What keeps us from achieving moksha? Maya. To attain
moksha requires knowing that our life is illusion—the only
truly real thing is Brahman. Maya prevents people from
seeing this knowledge—they see only the illusion and not
the reality. Moksha canBIRTH, DEATH, AND REBIRTH
not be obtained by dediARE THE ETERNAL MOTION OF cating yourself to gaining
THE ATMAN. THIS ENDLESS
something in this world
CYCLE IS CALLED SAMSARA
but only by experiencing
AND IS SYMBOLIZED BY THIS
union with Brahman.
GIANT WHEEL. THE ATMAN
YEARNS TO BREAK THE CYCLE
OF SAMSARA.
Three
Paths to
Moksha
2
Karma yoga or
marga—the way of
action: If you choose
this path, you will spend
your life serving others,
working for the good of
society. You will also take
care to properly worship
the gods, usually at a temple. You may even go on a
pilgrimage to holy places
like the Ganges River.
1
Jnana (je-NA-neh) yoga or marga—the
way of knowledge: If you walk this difficult path you must be a male and be willing to live a life of great devotion and sacrifice. Your path will have four steps. You begin
as a student and you learn the scripture and
other rituals of worship. Then you marry and
have children, but you also must help the
poor. At this point you may choose to continue on this path or take another. If you go
on, you take the “forest dweller” step, which
requires you (usually at retirement) to leave
your family and property behind, find a guru
to instruct you in further knowledge, and live
in the forest. When you are ready, you take
the final step and assume the life of a holy
man. As such, you deny yourself all physical
comforts, beg for your food, and spend your
days and nights meditating, reflecting, and
reading the sacred scriptures, until you begin
to participate in moksha. When you die, you
enter fully into the oneness of Brahman.
A HOLY MAN DENIES ALL
PHYSICAL COMFORTS AND
NEEDS TO BEG FOR FOOD.
A SUNRISE
CEREMONY ALONG
THE GANGES RIVER.
3
Bhakti (BUK-tee) yoga or
marga—the way of devotion: This is the most popular way among today’s Hindus.
If you walk this path, you
choose a god or goddess to worship. In return, the god or goddess bestows good karma on
your soul. Krishna, Vishnu,
Shiva, Rama, and the goddess
Shakti are the most popular
deities chosen.
A BIRTHDAY
CELEBRATION FOR
LORD KRISHNA.
Photo’s (3) by SuperStock
In the Bhagavad Gita
(BHUG-eh-ved GEE-ta),
one of the most famous
and popular sections of
the Hindu religious writings, Krishna explains to
the hero, Arjuna, the six
pathways to moksha.
Three of them, the most
popular, are described
below. Hindus are free to
choose the one that best
suits them.
Tied to the idea of samsara is the caste system in
Hinduism. Every Hindu is born into one of four groups, as
explained in Hindu scriptures. These form the basis of
Hindu society. Within this system, Hindus support each
other by performing the
duties of their caste. If
one does not do his or
her duty (dharma) perfectly, it harms all of society and the entire universe suffers. How well or
poorly one performs
one’s duties has direct
bearing on one’s karma.
Your previous karma
determines into which
caste you will be reborn.
The castes are ranked on
a purity scale and the
goal is to get to the top
rung of the ladder. It is
possible to create such
bad karma in your present lifetime that the
gods punish you by having you reborn as an
animal.
Brahmins are at the
top
of the ladder. The
A SHOPKEEPER IS
purest group, Brahmins
CONSIDERED A VAISHYA
IN THE CASTE SYSTEM.
are priests who perform
temple rituals and teach
the sacred scriptures.
Brahmins are vegetarians so that they never inadvertently kill another life.
Satriyas (Sha-TREE-yas), the next purest group, are the
warriors and rulers: soldiers, police, government officials,
and the hereditary ruling families. They may study the
scriptures, participate fully in religious activities, and carry
weapons.
Vaishyas (VISH-ee-as) are the farmers, shopkeepers,
skilled craftspeople, and teachers. They too may study the
scriptures and participate in some (but not all) religious
activities. They may not carry weapons.
Shudras (SHOO-drehs), at the bottom of the ladder, are
manual laborers such as potters and carpenters. They may
not study the scriptures or participate in sacred rituals but
may follow a simplified form of domestic worship.
Untouchables are not even allowed near the ladder.
They are the unfortunate ones who do the “dirty work” of
society: garbage collectors, cremation workers, street
sweepers, and others. Members of other castes avoid touching them, lest they become polluted themselves. The rights
to full citizenship for this caste in the nation of India was
the result of some of the democratic reform work of
Gandhi in the 1950s.
How important would caste be to you if you were a
Hindu? If you lived in rural India, it would determine most
of your life. Your caste would dictate your level of education, your job, even your choice of spouse (you could not
marry above your caste). Elsewhere in the world, caste is
more flexible. But for all Hindus, how well you perform the
duties of your caste determine who and where you’ll be in
your next life.
HINDUISM AND CHRISTIANITY
How are Hinduism and Christianity alike?
Different? Here are some questions to discuss in your
group meetings and to think about on your own:
• How is the Hindu idea of “eternal life” (reincarnation) different from our understanding?
• How is the Christian idea of sin like the Hindu concept of maqa?
• How do Hindu and Christian ideas of incarnation
differ?
• What difference does it make to you to have a faith
that’s centered on the one, unique person of Jesus
Christ rather than on many gods/goddesses?
• What can Christians learn about worship from
Hindus?
• Which Hindu marga or yoga do you find most
appealing? Which marga echoes Christianity the
closest?
• Is yoga a good activity for everyone, including
Christians, or should we avoid it because of its association with another religion?
For other comparisons, check your copy of the
chart “World Religions at a Glance.”
I am an Indian Hindu
living in the state of
Oregon. There are only
11,000 Indians in this state.
I am the only one in my
school district. . . . My nearest Indian neighbor lives 45
minutes away.
While I was attending
public school, a lot of kids
asked me questions about
Hinduism. Some of these
queries—like “Why do you
worship cows?”—are easier
to answer than others.
Especially challenging are
the sarcastically nettling
questions like: “You want a
bite of beef?” or “Are you
going to sacrifice me to
your Goddess?” Usually, I
am able to keep a level
head. When I get asked the
tough questions, I find
myself thanking God for
the chance to answer, but
also praying that my
responses are suitable. . . .
I have been attending
regular classes at the Chinmaya Mission Balavihar
since I was five years old.
There I have been fortunate
to learn of the deep mysticism of Hinduism, and also
about Indian culture. The
spiritual titan Swami Vivekananda said: “Unity is
knowledge, diversity is
ignorance. This knowledge
is your birthright. . . .”
Inspired by this and a saying often repeated at the
Chinmaya
Mission,
“Knowledge is power,” I
find myself deeply rooted
and firm in my beliefs. I am
not one to be swayed.
Thanks to this training
and the wisdom of my
mother, I have been able to
intelligently deflect many
insults and answer many
antagonistic questions at
school.
When I am asked about
cows, I calmly reply: “First
of all, we don't worship
cows. We respect them.
India is a land where farming is a common job, and
cows play a big part in the
lives of many Indians. They
help us in many ways . . .
(Then, of course, I would
go on to explain this). And
besides, what does it matter
if I don't eat cow? Do you
eat snakes? Or dogs? No?
Dogs are quite a delicacy in
Korea, you know.”
. . . Growing up Hindu in
America was a bit unnerving
at first. This was simply
because many of the people
that I met did not know anything about Hinduism. And
Mahatma Gandhi
people generally fear what
they do not understand.
Being Hindu is something that I have always
been proud of. I was raised
that way. I feel sad when I
see another Hindu kid
laughing along with the
jokes that are made about
us and our culture.
When we put up barriers
between people on the basis
of religion or race, we are
allowing
ourselves
to
become ignoble bigots. If a
fellow student ridicules my
religion, I do not have to
turn around and ridicule his.
Any advice I might have
is directed toward other
Hindu youth like myself
growing up in America. It is
this: “Don't get disheartened by the ridiculous questions and insulting comments. Be proud of the religion that you belong to. Be
an exemplary Hindu. If you
can do that, you will have
achieved something that
you can truly be proud of.”
BY GAUTAM RAMA VARMA PATHIAL.
GAUTAM, 15, LIVES WITH HIS PARENTS IN
NEWBERG, OREGON, WHERE HE
ATTENDS PRIVATE SCHOOL AND ASPIRES
TO BE A LAWYER. ARTICLE USED BY
PERMISSION FROM HINDUISM TODAY,
WWW.HINDUISMTODAY.COM.
(1869-1948)
Mahatma Gandhi (meh-HAT-meh GAN-dee) is revered by Indians as a great champion
for political rights, by Hindus as a charismatic holy man, and by the entire world as an
inspirational leader for the rights of the powerless, wherever they may be.
Originally a lawyer in the Indian community in South Africa, Gandhi returned to India
in 1941 to help lead India’s struggle for independence from the British. He insisted that
nonviolence was the only acceptable way of protest. He also spoke for the rights of the
poor and powerless; in fact,
he saw the full rights of citizenship given to the
“untouchable” caste of
Hindu society.
India gained independence in 1947, but just a
year later Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic.
His example has inspired a
legacy of others who work
for change through nonviolent protest. For example,
Martin Luther King, Jr., used
Gandhi’s methods in the
United States civil rights
movement in the 1960s.
When approached by followers who wanted to imitate him, Gandhi referred
them to this piece of advice
called the Gandhi Talisman:
“Recall the face of the poorest and most helpless person whom
you may have seen,
and ask yourself if
the step you contemplate is going to
be of any use to him;
will he be able to
gain anything from
it? Will it restore
him to control over
his life and destiny?
—GANDHI
In other words, will
it lead to swaraj (selfrule) for the hungry
and also spiritually
starved millions of our countrymen? Then you will find
your doubts and your self
melting away.”
Earth has enough
for everyone’s need
but not for
everyone’s greed.
SuperStock
SuperStock
A Ladder for Society
We Don’t Worship Cows!
One God or Many?
How many gods and goddesses does Hinduism have?
One Hindu would tell you there is only one—Brahman;
another might name twenty or so that she knows of, and
add that there are many more she doesn’t—too many to
count! Who’s right?
Both are. Hindus believe that while there is only one
eternal being, there are thousands of gods. While there is
only one formless god, people need a god or goddess they
can feel close to, picture, worship, and claim as their own.
Each one of these gods or goddesses is only one face of the
supreme Brahman.
Three main gods are responsible for the creation, preservation, and destruction of the world: Brahma, the creator;
Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the destroyer. The world
revolves through this cycle of beginnings and endings in a
continuous repeating pattern.
When Vishnu needs to appear on earth to preserve the
world from danger or evil, he takes on the form of a
human or animal. This is called an incarnation or avatar.
Vishnu has acted in ten such avatars. (The tenth, Kalki, will
appear at the end of the present time riding a white horse
and holding a flaming sword.) Two of these avatars, Rama
and Krishna, are also honored as gods. The most recent
avatar was Buddha.
The Gods of Hinduism
BRAHMA
VISHNU
SHIVA
PARVATI
GANESHA
KRISHNA
BRAHMA
(not Brahman) First member of the trimurti;
the god who makes the creation of new ages
possible. Brahma, the creator, has four faces so he can look
in all directions at once. His four arms point to the four
points of the compass. Each arm holds a different object: a
string of beads symbolizing time, a pot of water for the
source of life, a tool used in sacrifice for the world, and a
book (Brahma is the god of knowledge and thought). He
sits on a swan, a symbol of wisdom.
VISHNU
Second member of the trimurti. A powerful
but kind god, Vishnu preserves, protects, and
defends the world. His four hands enable him to be everywhere in the world; each holds a symbol of his divinity. He
carries a lotus for the beautiful world; a conch shell, which
when blown sounds like the Om; a club for power over
time; and a wheel symbolizing the wheel of life. He stands
on the lotus as a guardian of the world and usually wears a
crown, symbolizing his kingship.
SHIVA
Final member of the trimurti. Though a destroyer, he is also a liberator, since in destroying an
evil world he makes it possible for a new, pure world to be
created. As Lord of the Dance, Shiva creates the energy that
flows through the world, making day and night, the
changing seasons, birth and death. He stands on the head
of the dwarf Ignorance and is surrounded by a circle of
flames representing time, which has no beginning and no
end. His upper right hand holds the drum on which he
beats out the rhythm of his dance, and his upper left hand
holds the flame of his power. A third eye in the middle of
his forehead looks inward and symbolizes wisdom.
PARVATI
The beautiful wife of Shiva; one of the most
worshiped goddesses in Hinduism. Usually
gentle, she can also take the form of Durga, a warrior goddess, or Kali, an ugly goddess who destroys evil through
war, strife, and disease.
GANESHA
Art by Tim Foley
Son of Shiva and Parvati. This elephantheaded god specializes in removing obstacles, so he is often worshiped by Hindus who are beginning a new job, moving to a new home, starting a long
journey, or undertaking another new endeavor. His large
ears help him hear the prayers of his worshipers. His potbelly shows he is prosperous and successful. Some Hindus
also begin their time of worship by praying to Ganesha.
KRISHNA
The most popular of the gods. A young,
handsome man, he is usually pictured as
blue and playing a flute. He is known as a loving god who
accepts all gifts, no matter how small, if they are given in
love. In North America, members of the Hare Krishna society devote their worship to Krishna. They wear Hindu
dress, celebrate Krishna worship in public places like airports and parks, and practice strict vegetarianism. Hare
means “God who forgives your wrongdoings.”
The
Sacred
Writings
• Ramayana: (ra-MA-yehneh) Another long
poem, this one about
the incarnation of
Vishnu as Lord Rama.
Rama escapes from banishment and, with the
help of the monkey god
Hanuman and his army
of monkeys, rescues his
wife, Sita, from the
demon king Ravana,
who has taken her to a
fortress in Sri Lanka; he
returns home to be a
wise and just king.
• Puranas: (pu-RAH-nes) A
collection of ancient stories and myths that were
compiled over hundreds
of years. Many of the stories are about Brahma,
Vishnu, and Shiva.
• Dharmashastras: (darhMUH-SHAS-truhz)
A
group of law books that
provide detailed discussion of correct Hindu
society. The caste system,
the proper purposes of
life, and the stages of life
are all explained.
Hinduism recognizes six
different scriptures or
sacred texts:
• Vedas: (VAY-des) Collections of hymns used in
the earliest years of
Hindu worship. They
were handed down orally for hundreds of years
before being set down in
Sanskrit, an ancient
Indian language.
• Upanishads: (oo-PAHnih-shahd) Collections
of teachings that grew
out of sessions held by
teachers and their students. Dating from 600
B . C ., they contain the
essential teachings about
Brahman.
MANY OF THE
SACRED WRITINGS WERE
HANDED DOWN ORALLY
FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS
BEFORE BEING WRITTEN.
TODAY, MOST OF THESE
WRITINGS CAN BE FOUND
IN PAPERBACKS AT LOCAL
BOOKSTORES.
David De Jonge
• Mahabharata: (ma-BAreh-teh) An epic poem of
90,000 stanzas (probably
the longest poem in the
world!) about the civil
war between two ruling
families of India. The god
Vishnu
appears
as
Krishna to help solve the
conflict. One of the most
famous sections in the
Mahabharata
is
the
Bhagavad Gita or “Song
of the Lord,” which
recounts the dialogue
between Krishna and the
hero Arjuna. Krishna
explains the various ways
to find moksha and gives
instruction in the yogas.
FROM THE SACRED WRITINGS
The Creation of the World
1. In the beginning this world was Soul alone in
the form of a person. Looking around, he saw
nothing else than himself. . . .
2. He was afraid. Therefore one who is alone is
afraid. . . .
3. Verily, he had no delight. Therefore one alone
has no delight. He desired a second. He was,
indeed, as large as a woman and a man closely
embraced. He caused that self to fall into two
pieces. Therefrom arose a husband and a wife.
. . . He copulated with her. Therefrom human
beings were produced.
4. And she then bethought herself: “How now
does he copulate with me after he has produced me just from himself? Come, let me
hide myself.” She became a cow. He became a
bull. With her he did indeed copulate. Then
cattle were born. She became a mare, he a stallion. . . . Thence were born solid-hoofed animals. She became a she-goat, he a he-goat; she
a ewe, he a ram. With her he did verily copulate. Therefrom were born goats and sheep.
Thus, indeed, he created all, whatever pairs
there are, even down to the ants.
5. He knew: “I, indeed, am this creation, for I
emitted it all from myself.” Thence arose creation. Verily, he who has this knowledge
comes to be in that creation of his.
As leaving aside worn-out garments
a man takes other, new ones,
so leaving aside worn-out bodies
to other, new ones goes the embodied soul.
—BHAGAVAD GITA
From delusion lead me to Truth.
From darkness lead me to Light.
From death lead me to immortality.
—BRIHADARANYAKJA UPANISHAD
—BRIHADARANYAKJA UPANISHAD
THIS VERY IMPORTANT HINDU TEXT IS WRITTEN IN SANSKRIT, AN ANCIENT
LANGUAGE OF INDIA AND THE LANGUAGE OF HINDUISM’S SACRED WRITINGS.
SANSKRIT IS READ FROM LEFT TO RIGHT.
RNS
Hindus at Worship
Pilgrimages
Devout Hindus travel to holy places, which radiate
sacredness to the pilgrims who worship there. There are so
many sites for pilgrimages in India that by visiting each in
a circular route, a pilgrim could walk around the whole
land of India! All the major rivers in India are worshiped as
goddesses because they bring
water and life to an arid land.
In fact, the most important
place for pilgrims to visit is the
river Ganges, whose waters
they believe can wash away a
person’s bad karma. Most
devout Hindus try to wash in
the river at least once in their
lifetime.
Home Worship
Daily worship, puja, is an
important ritual. Puja consists of three steps: seeing
the deity; offering flowers,
fruits, and cooked food; and
PILGRIMAGE TO
retrieving the blessed food
BATHING FAIR ALONG THE
and eating it. This ritual is
GANGES RIVER.
carried out in front of a family shrine devoted to the family god or goddess.
The puja ritual begins by asking the deity to be present.
When the presence is felt, the worshipers welcome it by
symbolically bathing it and offering it gifts. Worship is
Festivals
Hindus celebrate several
major festivals and many
smaller ones tied to a local custom or event. Most of these
commemorate or celebrate a
story from Hindu mythology.
Food, drama, dance, music,
and puja are all part of the celebrations. Hindu festivals follow a lunar rather than numerical calendar, so festivals aren’t
always celebrated on exactly
the same days each year.
A Hindu Teen at Worship
I am the eldest daughter in my
family. My father is a pediatrician who came to this country
twenty years ago to study for his
medical degree. There was a need
for doctors here so he decided to
stay rather than go back to India.
He was not yet married, so after
graduation he returned to India
for several months and married
my mother, who is also a
Brahmin. Their families selected
them for each other, for it is
important that they be from the
same caste. My father leads my
family in the way of devotion or
Bhakti. He has chosen Krishna to
honor as a messenger from god.
We also honor Ganesha, Shiva’s
son, for my father has had to
make many long trips.
We live in a suburb of our city
in a brand-new house. We have
set aside one of the bedrooms to
be our shrine. My father must
leave for work at 7:30 and I must
catch my bus at 7:15, so every
morning at 6:30 our family gathers at our shrine to worship
together for thirty minutes.
Before we enter the room, we
must have showered, put on
clean clothes, and not yet eaten
breakfast. We remove our shoes
before entering the room. This is
to show respect to Krishna and to
show that we have left worldly
distractions behind.
The shrine is set against the
wall. It is on a table about five
feet high and four feet wide. A
light on the ceiling shines on it
so it is always in light. My
mother has prepared the altar for
us before we get there. She has
laid down a clean red cloth over
the table. Red is the color of deity
or holiness. The figures of
Krishna and Ganesha have been
freshly washed and oiled, and
mother has placed garlands
around their necks. In front of
them my mother has placed new
sticks of incense, a candle, fresh
flowers, and a food offering of
fruit and rice. A handbell rests at
the edge of the altar. Each of
these offerings is matched to one
of our senses so that our worship
involves all of our being: we
smell the incense, see the candle,
touch the flowers, taste the food,
and hear the bell.
My father begins our worship
by lighting the candle and
THE LARGEST HINDU
TEMPLE IN NORTH
AMERICA SITS IN A FIELD
OF MARIGOLDS 10 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF AUSTIN,
TEXAS. IT WAS BUILT ON
WHAT WAS ONCE A
CATTLE RANCH.
DAILY WORSHIP (PUJA) IS
IMPORTANT FOR HINDUS.
THEY WORSHIP IN THEIR
HOMES AT SHRINES LIKE
THE ONE SHOWN HERE.
The Stock Market
Temple Worship
A Hindu temple is a holy place where the gods and
humanity can meet, a “crossing” where members of any
caste can be with the divine reality. The largest temples are
devoted to the major gods like Shiva, but most villages will
have a smaller temple to a local deity. Hindu communities in
North America often build
their own temples. The temples are open all day for people to bow down before the
deity in the shrine room, give
their offerings, pray, and sing.
Only the Brahmin priests
may “wake up” the deity,
bathe it, dress it, feed it, and
put it to sleep.
SuperStock
Worship at the temple, worship in the home, pilgrimages, and festivals are all important in the life of the devout
Hindu. Faithful and pure devotion will be well rewarded
with good karma and sanctifies all of life.
designed for seeing—not just the worshiper seeing the god,
but the god seeing the worshiper. This is why Hindu
images have such huge eyes. Puja involves all the senses:
worshipers see the lamps, touch the ritual objects, hear the
bells and the sacred sounds, smell the incense, and taste
the food.
incense and ringing the bell. We
all sit in our favorite yoga position and chant the Om together
while we focus our minds on the
atman within us, rid our minds
of distracting thoughts, and
meditate on the goodness of
Krishna. My father ends our time
of worship by reciting some verses from the Gita, which he
learned as a boy. He has to translate them into English for us
because we don’t know Sanskrit.
We leave the room to get ready
for school and work. The incense
and candle are left burning. We
will eat the fruit and rice for
breakfast.
Yoga, Anyone?
AIDS TO HOLINESS
Om
This is the sacred Sanskrit syllable
“Om” or “Aum.” It’s often spoken at
the beginning of prayers and worship,
as well as in mantras, as a vocal
expression of Brahman or oneness.
The symbol is found everywhere in
Hindu society: posted on the walls of homes, painted
on the dashboards of cars, and worn as jewelry.
Lotus
A symbol of the beauty of
Hinduism and the beauty of the universe. Just as the lotus grows from
the dark bottom of the pond to float
on the surface and opens its beautiful
blossom to the light of the sun, so
the world rises out of the unknown mystery to the
light of true light and consciousness. This design of
the lotus blossom is used as the central figure in
many yantras, meditation pictures.
Yantra
A picture used as a kind of visual aid
to meditation, designed to turn one’s
attention inward. Notice the circles
that suggest the wheel of life and the
lotus petals.
SuperStock
Mention “yoga” and most people think of a set of exercises designed to help increase
control of the mind and the body. In Hinduism, however, yoga is intended to build up
one’s spiritual power in order to attain moksha (union with the Brahman).
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes the perfect disciple of yoga:
The person who aims at that supreme condition
of perfect yoking with God
must first of all be moderate in all things,
in food, in sleep, in vigilance, in action,
in exercise and recreation. Then
let him, in seeking God by deep meditation,
abandon his possessions and his hopes,
betake himself to some secluded spot,
fix his heart and thoughts on God alone. . . .
. . . then let him sit
firm and erect, his body, head and back
straight and immovable, his eyes directed
toward a single spot, not looking around,
devoid of passion, free from anxious thought,
his heart restrained, deep in meditation. . . .
He whose senses are well controlled
attains to sacred knowledge. . . .
Quietness in mind is the state of the Supreme.
He who, intent on meditation,
joins his soul with the Supreme, is like a flame
that flickers not when sheltered from the wind.
A series of postures are used for training the body to practice yoga. The most important
one is the lotus position (seated with legs crossed onto the thighs) because it is the most
conducive to a peaceful mental state (see diagrams). Other postures include the cobra
(lying flat on the floor, stomach-side down, with head and shoulders raised) and the star
(standing bent at the waist so the forehead touches the knees).
Breathing exercises are also used to promote special rhythms and control breathing. A
person practicing yoga might also use a yantra as a visual aid and a mantra as a verbal aid
(see definitions elsewhere on this page).
Yoga has become very popular in North America as a tool for relaxation and stressreduction. Yoga classes can be found at health centers, sports clubs, heart rehab units, and
pain clinics. Supporters of yoga claim it brings better health, improved powers of thinking, peace of mind, and longer life.
Mantra
A verbal aid to meditation, a mantra
is a syllable or words that one repeats
over and over, with the effect of increasing one’s spiritual level. The Om (spoken as “Aum”) is often used as a mantra.
Gurus often give their students a special
mantra of their own.
Thou Art That
The Sanskrit Tat Tvam asa (TAT
TVAM Asee)—thou art that—is a symbol of the central theme of Hinduism
and a saying repeated multiple times
in the Upanishads. You (the individual
soul) are that (the universal essence).
Do-It-Yourself Yoga
Here are two basic yoga positions for meditation. Begin with the half-lotus, practicing it
until you’re comfortable. Then, if you’re game, you may want to try the full lotus position.
Half Lotus
Red Dot
Traditionally, all Brahmins wore the
red dot or talik as a mark of their caste.
The dot is placed at the meeting point
between the two eyes, where the third
spiritual eye is said to be. The dots are
painted on with a paste made from a
herbal powder. Red is the sacred color in Hinduism.
Today, the talik is used as a sign of devotion for all castes
and can be worn for worship.
Sit on floor, as shown.
Right foot against
upper left thigh.
Sacred Cows
Cows have a special place in Hinduism. Cows roam
the Indian countryside freely: tying up traffic, eating
food in marketplaces, and bothering tourists. They may
not be killed and the beef is never eaten. Why? Partly
because all life is sacred (the reason many Hindus are
vegetarians) and because the cow is simply so valuable
to the Indian economy. For many families, survival
depends on owning a healthy cow.
Left foot in fold of
right leg. Hands on knees
or in lap with palms up.
The Four Yugas
The Hindu year has twelve lunar months. Each year is
counted by the gods as only a day in a god’s year. There
are 360 Hindu years in a god’s year, and 12,000 gods’
years make up a cycle of four ages or yugas: Kryta, Treta,
Dvapara, and Kali. In the Kryta yuga the world was at its
best and people were happy. In each of the following
yugas, life got progressively worse. According to this calendar, we live in the fourth yuga of the cycle, the worst
one. Hindus believe that this yuga will end in violence,
chaos, and destruction. Kalki, the tenth avatar of Vishnu,
will appear at this time to begin a new, perfect age.
Left foot high on right leg.
Left knee touching floor.
Right foot on left thigh.
Knees on floor, bottoms of
feet up. Hands on knees or
in lap with palms up.
Diagram by Paul Stoub (Yoga)
Full Lotus
Gurus and Swamis
A guru is a religious teacher or guide. A genuine guru is
known by the quality of his teaching and the nature of
his life. A guru can show you the way, but you must travel it alone. A swami is a title of respect like “sir.” A student
may choose to address a guru with this title if the student
feels the teacher deserves it. If truly deserved, it will be
adopted by all the students and used from that point on.
(Try it out on your guru!)
99
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e
id
Pr
Heaven of
Vishnu
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d
ee
Gr
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Heaven
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A
ng
n
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et
sc
w
no
A
K
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ur
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le
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M
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of eav
In en
dr
a
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er
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ng
ion
Dr
in
ki
Good
Conduct
ss
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Debt
a
mp
ng
Co
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St
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Devotion
fa
Almsgiving
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ss
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y
rit
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Dis
st
Stealing
Im
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ad
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Malic
This game is fun and also
teaches the Hindu belief in a
series of reincarnations or
transmigrations that lead to
the ultimate goal of moksha
(deliverance from rebirth).
According to this belief, a person is reborn higher in the
social system if he or she has
lived a good life, or lower if he
or she has lived an evil life. The
rebirth can even be to an animal level, if the law of karma
reflects an evil life.
Begin by having players put
their markers at space 36
(humanity’s estate). Each player
tosses the die and moves ahead
accordingly. If a marker lands
on a snake’s head, it must be
moved down to the square at
the snake’s tail. If it stops at the
bottom of a ladder, it may
advance to the square at the
top of the ladder. The object of
the game is to see who can
reach moksha first.
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MOKSHA
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si
re
Snakes and
Ladders
100
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—FROM WORLD RELIGIONS FOR THE CLASSROOM
BY DOROTHY ARNETT DIXON, © 1975,
TWENTY-THIRD PSALM PUBLICATIONS,
MYSTIC, CT 06355.
Faith
1
Cook’s Corner
Like to cook? Like to
eat? Here are some recipes
that you may want to
cook up (or persuade
someone else to) as you
learn about Hinduism.
Easy Curry
serves 3-4
Brown in small amount
of fat
1
/4-1/2 pound (.11-.22 kg)
chicken or other meat
(raw or cooked), finely cut
Add
21/2 cups (.60 L) water
Chop and add in order
according to cooking time
needed
2 medium carrots
2 stalks celery
1 green pepper
1
/2 medium onion
Add
1 teaspoon (5 mL) salt
1
/8 teaspoon (1.6 mL)
pepper
1 tablespoon (15 mL)
curry powder
Blend together
1 cup (.24 L) tomato
sauce
1
/3 cup (.08 L) milk
2 tablespoons (30 mL)
cornstarch
Simmer 45 minutes or
until vegetables are tender
and sauce is thick and
glossy. Stir frequently.
2
Serve over rice, noodles,
or biscuits.
—MARIE J. GRANTZ, NORTH NEWTON,
KS. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF
HERALD PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683
AND WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM
MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK BY DORIS
JANZEN LONGACRE.
Indian Flat Bread (India)
Chapati (chah-PAH-tee)
serves 10
Chapatis are made in
varying sizes and thicknesses in South Asia and
East Africa. Pieces of chapati are used instead of
utensils to scoop up curry
dishes.
Combine
2 cups (500 mL) whole
wheat flour
1 teaspoon (5 mL) margarine, melted
pinch of salt
Gradually add
1
/2 cup (125 mL) or more
lukewarm water
Knead until dough is
soft. Cover with damp cloth
and let rest l hour. Divide
dough into ten pieces. On
floured surface, roll each
piece into 4-inch (10 cm)
circle, 1/4-inch (3/4 cm) thick.
Heat heavy ungreased frying pan. Cook each chapati
until it starts to bubble on
bottom, turn, fry other side,
and remove. Stack in a tea
towel to keep warm.
3
4
5
Options:
• Substitute white flour
for half the whole
wheat flour
• After turning chapati,
rub with a few drops
margarine or oil. When
second side is finished,
turn over again and
cook briefly on first
side. Rub oil on second
side and fry briefly.
—CYNTHIA PEACOCK, CALCUTTA,
INDIA. REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF
HERALD PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683
AND WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM
EXTENDING THE TABLE: A WORLD
COMMUNITY COOKBOOK BY JOETTA
HANDRICH SCHLABACH.
Banana Yogurt Salad
(India)
Kela Raita
(KAT-lah RIE-tah)
serves 3-4
A simple, cool side dish
to serve with hot curry
meals. A healthy hotweather snack or pleasant
light meal.
Slice 2 bananas
Sprinkle with
2 teaspoons (10 mL)
lemon juice
Toss with
2
/3 cup (150 mL) yogurt
Top with 2 teaspoons
(10 mL) shredded
coconut (optional)
Option:
• To sweeten, add a bit
of sugar
—SARA LARSON WIEGNER, AKRON, PA.
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HERALD
PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683 AND
WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM
EXTENDING THE TABLE: A WORLD
COMMUNITY COOKBOOK BY JOETTA
HANDRICH SCHLABACH.
6
7
8
Hindustani Tea (Chai)
serves 7-8
Heat together in a 3-4
qt. saucepan
6 cups (1.4 L) water
7 teaspoons (35 mL)
loose tea
Boil 10 minutes. Add
6 cups (1.4 L) milk
Heat to near boiling.
Add to taste
10-15 teaspooons (50-75
mL) sugar
9
10
Tastes best when prepared 2 or more hours in
advance and set aside.
Reheat during meal and
serve with fresh fruit for
dessert.
—JOHN NYCE, GOSHEN, IN.
REPRINTED BY PERMISSION OF HERALD
PRESS, SCOTTDALE, PA 15683 AND
WATERLOO, ONT. N2L 6H7 FROM
MORE-WITH-LESS COOKBOOK BY
DORIS JANZEN LONGACRE.
FACTS IN A FLASH
Where and When It Began: India; 3000 B.C.
Founder Figure: no one founder
Major Deities: Brahman is the one eternal being of
Hinduism, the source of everything. However, there
are thousands of gods, including the trimurti of
Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and
Shiva, the destroyer.
Places of Worship: shrines in homes or in temples
Sacred Places: numerous sites in India but especially
the Ganges River
Holy Books: Hinduism recognizes six different sacred
writings, among which the Upanishads contain the
essential teachings about Brahman.
Major Festivals: Hinduism has numerous local festivals that vary from place to place; its main universal festivals are Holi, which celebrate the grain harvest, and Divali, a tribute to the Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and success.
Where Practiced: India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka, Malaysia, and Indonesia. About 1.1 million Hindus live in North America.
Online: www.Hinduismtoday.com; www.beliefnet.com;
www.about.com; www.adherents.com